Machine for casting and stacking ingots

ABSTRACT

A machine for casting and stacking ingots which includes a casting zone embodying a group of ingot molds with means for pouring molten metal into the molds, means for cooling the molds and means for removal of the cast ingots from the molds; a conveyor for transportation of the ingots released from the molds to a stacking zone including a gripper capable of gripping the entire group of ingots removed from a single group of ingot molds and means which cooperates with the conveyor to displace the group of ingots into side-by-side relationship in a row; and a stacking zone which includes a table on which the ingots are stacked and in which the table is mounted for rotational movement so that the table can be turned through an angle of 90* after stacking each row of ingots.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Jacques Chambran Tarascon sur Ariege, France [21 Appl. No. 870,741

[22] Filed May 7, 1969 [45] Patented [73] Assignee Jan. 1 l, 1972 Pechiney-Compagnie de Produits Chimiques et Electrometallurgiques Original application Dec. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 599,605, now Patent No. 3,498,364. Divided and this application May 7, 1969, Ser. No. 870,741

[54] MACHINE FOR CASTING AND STACKING 348, 122, 128, 322, 326,150, 4, 269, 270; 214/2, 6 C,6R,6A,6N,6l-l,6M,6.2BA,6F,6G,6.l FA, 6 FS, 6 DS, 6 DK, 2 X, 8.5, 6.5

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,267,531 8/1966 Buttkereit et a1. 2 l4/6.5 X 2,919,041 12/1959 Harrison 214/6 3,356,231 12/1967 Chambran 214/6 FOREIGN PATENTS 956,865 4/1964 Great Britain 164/269 711,820 10/1941 Germany.... 214/8.5 A 90,083 11/1957 Norway 2 l4/6.5 755,048 8/1956 Great Britain 164/326 Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Assistant Examiner-V. K. Rising Attorney-McDouga1l, Hersh, Scott & Ladd ABSTRACT: A machine for casting and stacking ingots which includes a casting zone embodying a group of ingot molds with means for pouring molten metal into the molds, means for cooling the molds and means for removal of the cast ingots from the molds; a conveyor for transportation of the ingots released from the molds to a stacking zone including a gripper capable of gripping the entiregroup of ingots removed from a single group of ingot molds and means which cooperates with the conveyor to displace the group of ingots into side-by-side relationship in a row; and a stacking zone which includes a table on which the ingots are stacked and in which the table is mounted for rotational movement so that the table can be turned through an angle of 90 after stacking each row of ingots.

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Fig.12 

1. In a machine for the casting and stacking of multiple layers of ingots with multiple ingots per layer, comprising: a. a casting zone including
 1. a group of ingot molds corresponding to the number of ingots per layer;
 2. means for pouring molten metal into the molds;
 3. means for cooling the ingots, and
 4. means for extraction of the cast ingots from the molds; b. ingot conveyance means including
 1. a carriage for the ingots;
 2. means for imparting translatory movement to the carriage from the casting zone to a stacking zone;
 3. at least one gripping device capable of gripping the ingots in a row, and
 4. an abutment in the path of the carriage in position to engage the ingots to close the gap between the ingots during movement of the carriage to the stacking zone; c. ingot stacking means including
 1. a support mounted for movement in the vertical direction;
 2. a platform mounted on the support for rotational movement about its vertical axis;
 3. driving means on the support;
 4. an operative connection between said driving means and said platform for rotation of the platform through an angle of about 90* between the deposition of adjacent layers of ingots whereby the ingots in one layer are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the ingots in adjacent layers;
 5. actuating means, and
 6. an operative connection between said actuating means and support for movement of the support in the vertical direction; and d. discharge means for removal of the completed stack of ingots from the platform.
 2. means for pouring molten metal into the molds;
 2. a platform mounted on the support for rotational movement about its vertical axis;
 2. means for imparting translatory movement to the carriage from the casting zone to a stacking zone;
 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for translatory movement of the ingot carriage from the casting zone to the stacking zone includes a roller track on which the carriage rides.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the ingot molds comprise a container having a mold cavity shaped to correspond with the shape of the ingot to be cast, an interior wall surrounding the mold cavity, an exterior wall spaced outwardly from the interior wall to define an enclosed space therebetween and means for circulating a coolant through the enclosed space for cooling the molds.
 3. at least one gripping device capable of gripping the ingots in a row, and
 3. driving means on the support;
 3. means for cooling the ingots, and
 4. means for extraction of the cast ingots from the molds; b. ingot conveyance means including
 4. an operative connection between said driving means and said platform for rotation of the platform through an angle of about 90* between the deposition of adjacent layers of ingots whereby the ingots in one layer are disposed substantially perpendicularly to the ingots in adjacent layers;
 4. an abutment in the path of the carriage in position to engage the ingots to close the gap between the ingots during movement of the carriage to the stacking zone; c. ingot stacking means including
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the means for extraction of the cast ingot from the mold comprises at least one opening which extends crosswise of the mold through the bottom side of the mold, a knockout pin received in fitting relationship in the opening to close the opening, and means for actuating the knockout pin between extended and retracted positions to knock out the ingot from the mold during displacement from extracted to extended position and in which the inner surface of the knockout pin is flush with the interior wall of the mold when in retracted position.
 5. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the interior wall of the mold is of a unitary construction.
 5. actuating means, and
 6. an operative connection between said actuating means and support for movement of the support in the vertical direction; and d. discharge means for removal of the completed stack of ingots from the platform.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the interior wall of the mold has fins extending outwardly into the space between the interior wall and the exterior wall.
 7. A machine as claimed in claim 3 in which the interior wall is formed of a number of pieces of metal welded together with the beads of the weld extending outwardly as fins from the outer surfaces of the interior wall into the space between the interior wall and the exterior wall.
 8. A machine as claimed in claim 4 in which the openings are defined by a casing extending continuously between the interior wall and the exterior wall across the open space therebetween and in which the casing has fins on the outer surface extending into the open space between the walls.
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 4 in which the means for displacement of the knockout pins from retracted to extended position comprises a jack which acts on all of the knockout pins of the group of molds.
 10. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for pouring molten metal into the ingot molds comprises a trough, screens subdividing the trough into equal volumes, a pouring spout at the end of each subdivision, means communicating with the trough for the supply of molten metal, an intermediate support on which the trough is carried, a distribution frame, and a horizontal shaft on the frame and means mounting the intermediate support for pivotal movement on the shaft.
 11. A machine as claimed in claim 10 in which a trough supporting frame supports the trough and which includes a horizontal shaft about which the frame is pivoted, said shaft being fixed to the intermediate support.
 12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 including means for causing the intermediate support to pivot about the shaft on the distributor frame and means for causing the trough supporting frame to pivot about the shaft fixed to the intermediate support, said means comprising jacks including a first jack of the quick-action type and a second jack of the slow-action type.
 13. A machine as claimed in claim 10 in which the means for supplying the trough with molten metal comprises a melting furnace having a rotary nose mounted for movement in the vertical direction between a raised position for stopping the flow and a lowered position for enabling flow, and electrical contact means in position to be contacted by the rising level of metal in the trough for controlling the movement of the nose between raised and lowered positions.
 14. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the means for feeding the ingot molds is mounted at a fixed position with one such means for each group of ingot molds.
 15. A machine as claimed in claim 1 which includes means mounting the means for feeding the ingot molds for movement into position to supply several groups of ingot molds.
 16. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which two gripping devices are carried on the ingot conveyance carriage, one of which has fixed claws having lugs for gripping the ingots, said lugs having oblique surfaces for wedging the ingots and another of which has movable jaws capable of gripping the ingots beneath their projections.
 17. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which a single gripping device is carried on the conveyor carriage, said device having fixed jaws with their lateral faces corresponding to the shape of the oblique faces of the ingots and which comprise horizontal protuberances of small dimension on which the projections of the ingots can rest, said gripping device being adapted for conveying the ingots of defined dimensions.
 18. A machine as claimed in claim 16 in which the movable jaws of the gripping device are articulated to remain in closed position even when loaded with ingots of maximum weight, a roller on at least one of the movable jaws, a rail mounted on the main frame of the machine, means mounting the rail for movement between a lower position, corresponding to the closed position of the gripping device, and an upper position, corresponding to the open position of the gripping device, said roller being movable into position to engage said rail.
 19. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the discharge means comprises a jack and a ram.
 20. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the discharge means comprises a pusher plate conveyor having an upper plate with at least one inclined surface and a stop abutment and a lower plate having at least one inclined plane and an abutment arranged to cooperate with the respective corresponding elements of the upper plate, jack means connected to impart a horizontal translatory movement with respect to the lower plate with corresponding vertical displacement of the upper plate whereby the stack of ingots is lifted responsive to relative sliding movements between the inclined planes, second jack means operatively connected to the conveyor to lift the stack from the movable platform.
 21. A machine as claimed in claim 1 which includes a manual control for the actuating means.
 22. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the control means is a sequential automation arrangement.
 23. A machine as claimed in claim 12 which includes a distributor, means connecting the distributor to each of the jacks, the base of the first jack being directly connected to the distributor for movement of the intermediate support with respect to the chassis and a sequential valve shunted by a nonreturn valve connecting the base of the first jack to the base of the second jack for movement of the trough supporting frame with respect to the movable intermediate support, the rod end of the second jack being directly connected to the distributor and a sequential valve shunted by a return valve connecting the rod end of the second jack to the rod end of the first jack. 